Telephone attachment



July 5 1927.

1 1,634,325 F. w. HOBAN TELEPHONE ATTACHMENT Filed March 18 l927- Patented July 5, 1927.

mrso STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FAIRFIELD W. HOBAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO HOLDAPHONE, INCOR- POR-ATED OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

TELEPHONE ATTACHMENT.

Application filed March 18, 1927. Serial No. 176,375.

M 1 invention relates to means employed in connection with telephone instruments for supporting the receiver thereof; and the same has for its object more particularly to provide a simple, efiicient, and convenient device which is readily moved to and maintained in its operative position relative to the ear and returned to and maintained in its inoperative position, and which permits of the free use of the hand for other purposes when the same is in its operative position.

Further, said invention has for its object to provide a device of the character specified in which the receiver carrying arm thereof is readily swung to its operative and inoperative positions upon imparting a slight initial movement thereto and is firmly retained in said positions.

Further, said invention has for its object to provide a device of the character specified in which the receiver carrying arm thereof is pivoted at its lower end and is adapted to swing vertically between operative and inoperative positions, and in which a resilient member serves to facilitate the movement of said arm between said positions and augment the weight thereof and ot the receiver in maintaining said arm in each of said positions.

Further, said invention has for its object to provide a device of the character specified in which the receiver carrying arm thereof is pivoted at its lower end and is adapted to swing over its pivot into engage ment with means serving to support the weight thereof and retain the same in operative and inoperative positions, and in which a resilient member connected to said arm serves to facilitate the movement thereof between said positions and augment its weight in maintaining the same in each of said positions.

Further, said invention has for its object to provide a device of the character specifled in which the receiver carrying arm thereof is pivoted at its lower end to swing through a relatively small are between an operative position extending forwardly and upwardly and an inoperative position extending upwardlysubstantially vertically to position the center of gravity of said arm and of the receiver above the pivot on or slightly inwardly of a vertical line passing through said pivot, and in which a resilient member connected to said arm becomes in stantly effective to swing said arm'to its inoperative position and retain the same thereon when a slight initial movement is imparted to said arm and permits of the return of said arm to operative position when a slight initial movement is imparted to said arm to cause the center of gravity thereof to pass beyond said pivot to render the weight thereof effective in assisting to overcome the tension of said resilient member thereon.

Further, said invention has for its object to provide a device of the character specified in which a resilient member serves to con trol the movement of the receiver carrying member between its operative and inoperative positions and to retain the same therein, and in which a hook controlling member is disposed in the path of travel of said receiver carrying member to be engaged thereby and is retained in depressed relation to said hook by said resilient member.

Further, said invention has for its object to provide a d vice of the character specified in which the pivoted receiver carrying memoer or arm thereof is retained by a resilient member in an inoperative position extending substantially vertically to position the center of gravity of said arm and of the receiver above the pivot on or slightly inwardly of a vertical line passing through said pivot, and in which a hook controlling member is movably mounted independently of said receiver carrying member and is disposed in the path of travel thereof to be engaged thereby, and is retained in depressed relation to said hook by said resilient member without subjecting said hook controlling member to the full weight of the receiver carrying arm and the receiver.

Further, said invention has for its object to provide a device of the character specified in which the hook controlling member is disposed in the path of travel of the receiver carrying member to be engaged thereby and to be positively actuated thereby in one direction as said'receiver carrying member is swung toits operative position and in the op- I posite direction as the same is swung to its inoperative position. i

Further, said invention has for its object to pro Me a device of the character specified in which the hook controlling member there- 7 of is disposed in the path of travel of the receiver carrying arm and is engaged thereby in its travel to positively actuate the same in both directions, and in which a resilient member is connected to said receiver carrying arm to facilitate the movement thereof between its operative and inoperative positions and retain the same therein, and said hook controlling member in elevated and depressed positions.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out hereinafter.

To the attainment of the aforesaid objects and ends my invention consists in the novel details of construction, and in the combination, connection, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described and then pointed out in the claims.

in the accompanying drawings showing an illu trative embodiment of the invention- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device showing the same attached to the telephone instrument Fig. 2 is a plan thereof, and

Fig. 3 isan elevation with parts broken away showing the device in its operative position.

Referring to the drawings, the telephone instrument 10, illustrated as that of the wall type, comprises the usual transmitter 11, the receiver hook 12 at the side thereof and the receiver 13. The hook 12 is of the usual spring controlled type which raises when released and closes the telephone circuit.

The attachment 14f embodying my said invention comprises a suitable bracket 15 hav ing a base portion 16 and a forwardly ex tending portion or arm 17 The base portion 16 is secured to the wall or other part at one side of the telephone instrument by the fastening devices 18 so that the arm 17 extends forwardly slightly below the tele phone hook 12. The receiver carrying arm or member 19 is pivoted at 20 to the forward end of the bracket portion 17 to swing vertically thereon. The member 19 comprises a lower cylindrical portion 21 having an elongated recess 22 therein at the periphery thereof providing abutments 23 at the ends of said recess in spaced relation to each other for a purpose hereinafter described. An arm or stem 24; extends upwardly from the cylindrical portion 21 and is provided with a spherical outer end portion 25. A pair of opposing concave members 26 engage opposite sides of the spherical portion and project laterally to provide supporting portions 27 maintained in spaced relation by the inwardly directed flange 28 on one of the members 26 interlocking with the adjacent edge 29 of the other member 26. A threaded member 30 passes through the laterally extending portions 2'7 and is provided with a nut 31 for clamping the members 26 in frictional engagement with the spherical portion 25 against removal therefrom.

An annular receiver engaging member 32 is detachably secured to the upper edges of the projecting portions 27 and is adapted to embrace the receiver 13 to retain the same directly above the end of the arm 19 in close relation to the spherical portion-25 so that the receiver may be adjusted vertically and iorizontallyto swing the outer end thereof through arcs of the same radius arranged substantially parallel with the head of the person using the device, and thereby position the same in the most desirable relation to the ear.

The outer end of the bracket 15comprises a laterally extending portion constituting a stop on which the arm 24 rests in its forward or operative position extending upwardly and forwardly as indicated in full lines at Fig. 3. A lug or projection 34 extends froin the lower side of the cylindrical portion 21 and engages the lower edge of the stop 33 to limit the rearward movement of said arm 2% and determine its inoperative position. The stop 3% is so arranged that the arm 19 in its inoperative position extends substantially vertically to position the center of gravity thereof and of the receiver 13 vertically above the pivot 20 substantially on, or sli htly inwardly of, a vertical line passing through said pivot.

The movement of the arm 24 between its operative and inoperative positions is controlled by a resilient member or spring 35 attached at its inner end to the pin 36 on the bracket 15 in the horizontal plane of the pivot 20 and at its opposite end to the pin 37 on the cylindrical portion 21. When the arm at is in its operative position the spring moves into alignment with, or slightly below the pivot 20 and augments the weight of the arm in maintaining the same in engagement with the stop 33. By imparting a slight movement to the arm 24!- the spring is raised relative to the pivot 20 and causes the arm to swing to its inoperative position, and augments the weight of the arm in maintaining the lug 34 in en gagement with the stop 33.

A hook controlling member or lever 38 is independently pivoted between the bracket 15 and the cylindrical portion 21 substantially coaxially with the receiver carrying member 19 and extends rearwardly into engagement with the hook 12. The circular outer portion 39 of said lever 38 is provided with a laterally extending portion or lug 10 riding in the recess 22 and adapted to be engaged by the ab-utments 23. i

In operation, when it is desired to use the telephone, the receiver carrying arm 19 is swung outwardly to its operative position. A very slight initial movement of the arm 19 is sufficient to cause the center of gravity thereof to pass the pivot 20 and the weight thereof to become effective in assisting to overcome the tension of the spring 35 thereon. As the arm 19 approaches operative position the lower abutment 23 engages the lug 4L0 and elevates the lever 38 and maintains the same under the influence of said spring 35 in elevated position to re lease the hook 12 to close the telephone circuit. W hen the arm 19 is returned to its inoperative position by the spring 35 as above described, the upper abutment 23 engages the lug and lowers the lever 38 to depress the hook 12.

The spring is of sutlicient strength to maintain both the arm 19 in inoperative position and the lever 38 in depressed position to hold the hook 12 in open circu t condition. The weight of the arm 19 and receiver 13, because of the position thereof substantially above the pivot 20, is not capable of maintaining the spring actuated hook 12 in depressed position, and, therefore, the spring 35 is primarily relied on for this purpose. However, by positioning the center of gravity of the arm 19 and receiver 13 substantially above the pivot and utilizing a spring of suii'icient strength to maintain the lever 28 in depressed position, the device is rendered exceedingly sensitive in operation, since the same may be more readily and quickly actuated to swing the same either to operative or inoperative positions.

Having thus described my said invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A telephone attachment comprising a bracket adapted to be secured in operative relation to a telephone instrument, a receiver carrying member pivoted to said bracket, a member pivoted to said bracket laterally 0t and in close relation to the lower portion of said first named member and adapted to engage the telephone receiver hook of said instrument for controlling the same, a portion on one of said members extending laterally intothe path of travel of the other of said members, and opposing portionsv on said other member at opposite sides of said laterally extending portion adapted to engage the same to positively maintain said hook con ing an elongated recess at the periphery thereof providing-opposing abutments at the ends of said recess, and a lever pivoted to said bracket independently of and coaxially with said arm and adapted to swing vertically relative to the receiver hook of said instrument for controlling the same, and aportion extending laterally from said lever and riding in said recess and adapted to be engaged by said abutments as said arm is swung to and from operative position whereby to actuate said lever and maintain the same in raised and depressed positions.

v 3. A telephone attachment comprising a bracket adapted to be secured in operative relation to a telephone instrument, a receiver carrying member pivoted at its lower end to said bracket and adapted to swing vertically thereon between operative and inoperative positions, means on said bracket for limiting the travel of said member in both directions, resilient means connecting said bracket and said member and serving to swing said member between and maintain the same in its operative and inoperative positions in engagement with said means, a

member for actuating the telephone hook of said instrument pivoted to said bracket independently of and coaxially with said receiver carrying member and adapted to swing vertically relative to said hook, a portion on one of said members'extending laterally into the path of travel of the other of said members, and opposing portions on the other of said members at opposite sides of said laterally extending portion adapted to engage the same to positively actuate said hook actuating member and maintain the same in raised and depressed positions as said receiver carrying ;member is swung to and from operative position, said opposing portions being disposed in spaced relation to permit of movement of said receiver carrying member for a port-ion of its travel independently of said hook actuating member..

4. A telephone attachment comprising a bracket adapted to be secured'in operative relation to a telephone instrument, a receiver carrying arm pivoted at the lower end thereof to said bracket and swinging vertically thereon between operative and inoperative positions, a member on said bracket actuated by said arm for controlling the telephone receiver hook, means serving to retain said arm in its inoperative position extending substantially vertically to position the center of gravity thereof substantially in vertical alignment with the pivot thereof and to render the weight thereof inefiective to maintain said hook controlling member in depressed position, and a resilient member connected to said arm and serving to facili tate the movement thereof between said positions and retain the same therein; said resilient member in the inoperative position of & i

said arm serving to retain said hook controlling member in depressed position without the action of said resilient memberth-ereon being appreciably augmented by the weight of said arm. 7

5. A telephone attachment comprising a bracket adapt-ed to be secured in operative relation to a telephone instrument and extending forwardly, a receiver carrying arm pivoted at its lower end to said bracket and swinging vertically thereon, a member on said bracket actuated by said arm for controlling the telephone receiver hook, means on said bracket adapted to engage said arm for retaining the same in an operative position extending forwardly and upwardly and in an inoperative position extending sub stantially vertically to position the center of V gravity of said arm in close relation to a line passing vertically through the pivot of said arm and to render the weight thereof ineffective to maintain said hook controlling member in depressed position. and a spring connected at one end to said bracket inwardly of said pivot and at its opposite end to said arm adjacent to said pivot and adapted to facilitate the movement of said arm between said positions when the same is actuated and to retain the same in engagement with said retaining means therefor in each of said positions; said spring being substantially aligned with said pivot when said arm is in operative position and serving, when said arm is in inoperative position, to retain said hook controlling member in de-' pressed position without the action of said spring thereon being appreciably augmented by the weight of said arm, whereby to permit of said arm being readily swung between said positions by imparting a slight initial movement thereto.

6. A telephone attachment comprising a bracket adapted to be secured in operative relation to a telephone instrument, a receiver carrying arm pivoted at the lower end thereof'to said bracket and swinging vertically abovethe same, means for retaining said arm in an operative position extending forwardly and upwardly, means for retaining said arm in an inoperative position extending substantially vertically to position the center of gravity thereof above said pivot substantially coincident with a vertical line passing through said pivot, a

hook controlling member movably mounted on said bracket adjacent to said arm in the path of travel thereof and adapted to be engaged thereby to move the same into depressed position, and a resilient member serving to facilitate the movement of said arm between said positions and augmenting the weight thereof in maintaining the same therein in engagement with the retaining means therefor; said resilient member also serving to retain said hook controlling member in depressed position Without the action of said resilient member thereon being appreciably augmented by the weight of said arm, whereby to facilitate the movement of said arm to operative position. V

'2'. A telephone attachment comprising a bracket adapted to be secured in operative relation to a telephone instrument, a receiver carrying member pivoted at the lower end thereof to said bracket and swinging ver"- cally above the same, means for retaining said member in an operative position extending forwardly and upwardly and in an inoperative position extending substantially vertically to position the center of gravity thereof above said pivot in close relation to a vertical line passing therethrough, a hook controlling member movably mounted on said bracket and extending into the path of travel of said receiver carrying member, cooperating portions on said members for positively actuating said hook controlling member in opposite directions as said receiver carrying member is swung in opposite directions, and a resilient member associated with FAIRFIELD WV. I-IOBAN.

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